Ghost

Promises can be broken

NICO POV
I was so shocked at what she had said that I didn't really know what to do. Did she actually want me around? Or was she just being nice? Probably the latter I decided.
I stared at the girl in front of me. She was shorter than me by a few inches with pale skin and black eyeliner carefully drawn around the edges of her grey-blue eyes. Her hair was strawberry blonde curled 80s style and there was a little strand that kept falling over her face. She was wearing skinny jeans and a gray tank top with a black leather jacket.
Looking at her, I couldn't help wondering who her godly parent was. She didn't have the right demeanour to be a child of Aphrodite, though she was certainly beautiful enough. She didn't have the grey eyes and blonde hair of the children of Athena. So who?
I offered her a hand up and as she took it her sleeve ever-so-slightly rode up. She pulled it down almost immediately but not before I had seen what was underneath.
"What's that?" I asked
"What's what?" She feigned ignorance but her right hand travelled to the hem of her left sleeve; almost protectively.
"That." I said, "On your arm"
"There's nothing on my arm 'Angel'" she chuckled slightly at her own joke.
I watched her carefully, considering my options. Eventually I reached out - quick as a flash - and grabbed her wrist. She tried to pull away but I wouldn't let her.
Gently, I lifted her sleeve. Her arm was lined with scars. Some newer than others, some still red-raw. They were all horizontal to her hand, almost perfectly lined up.
"What's this?" I whispered. She stared at me, terror in her eyes.
"I...I..." she swallowed and started again.
"I scraped up against a rose bush." Her eyes never lost contact but her voice was shaking.
"Don't lie to me." I tightened my grip on her wrist, my voice was low and dangerous. The fear returned to her eyes and she started visibly shaking.
Suddenly she twisted round and kicked backwards, hitting me square in the chest. I stumbled and she snatched her wrist out of my grip. My the time I'd recovered she had already run off.

I cursed in Ancient Greek. I'd heard of that kind of thing but never experienced it in any way, shape, or form. She was self-harming. I had to find out why, how and since when. I didn't know much about it but I did know it was dangerous. I knew it could lead to something much, much worse.
I began to walk through the woods, collecting my thoughts. I had to think this through carefully. I couldn't afford any slip-ups.
I stopped next to the shadow of a tree and calmed myself down. Just as I was about to shadow travel to the camp fire a hand grabbed my ear and pulled it, hard. Her voice was no more than a dangerous whisper when she spoke.
"Tell no one." She said. "Swear on the river Styx."
I opened and closed my mouth like a goldfish, not knowing what to say. Thump. And a sharp pain below my ribs told me she'd just punched me in the gut. She twisted my ear even more;
"Swear it!" She hissed
"I promise," I managed "not to tell anyone without your permission."
She relaxed her grip, clearly satisfied, and gave me one last kick in the ribs just for good measure before disappearing off. I straightened up and rubbed my ear. Then I smiled. She was so desperate for an answer that she missed the most important detail; had I sworn on the river Styx?
No.
I had promised.
And promises can be broken.
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Hi guys, I know I'm a horrible person, I promised a quick chapter and took even longer than last time and it's really short as well. I'm sorry! I'm working on it I promise! In the meantime don't forget to vote and comment, I really want to hear what you think. Also, if anyone has any storyline ideas, please let me know, it would really help my writers block. Thanks! xox